1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to foldable furniture such as foldable chair and foldable table, and more particularly to a reinforcing method and arrangement for foldable furniture arranged for connecting at least one tube-like leg support unit with another leg support unit or another frame support unit in a secure, controllable and foldable manner while folding movement of the tube-like leg support unit is guidable and controllable and the connecting junction are reinforced.
2. Description of Related Arts
Conventional foldable furniture, such as foldable chair and foldable table, usually includes a furniture top unit and a frame body to support the top unit in which four leg support units are provided and mounted in a foldable manner. Light duty foldable furniture usually has two pairs of leg support units and a plurality of rivets for mounting the leg support units. For example, each of the leg support units has a mounting through-hole provided approximately in the middle portion of the leg support unit such that two of the leg support units can be mounted in the middle portion with a rivet penetrating the two mounting through-holes of the two leg support units, which is then deformed to secure the two leg support units into position. The manufacture method is simple and the cost is low. However, this kind of support has several drawbacks. First, the support is not strong and cannot be used for medium to heavy duty foldable chair or table, and may be insufficient for light duty foldable chair or table. Second, the mounting position of the leg support is limited to the middle or upper portion of the leg support in order to provide a stable and balance frame structure. Third, the rotational angle between two leg support units is not controllable and additional frame elements are required to restrict the rotational movement of the leg support units. Fourth, the rivet is subject to the weight of the foldable furniture and to the weight of the object on the foldable furniture, making the rivet a breakable part of the frame structure. Fifth, the mounting position of the leg support units is subject to direct and immediate force for supporting the foldable furniture, making the leg support units easy to deform or distort in position and hence weakening the frame structure. Accordingly, this kind of mounting is fragile, making the foldable furniture easy to collapse.
Another common mounting arrangement includes mounting a pair of leg support units onto two sides of a furniture top unit such as a chair seat or a table top with rivets in a foldable manner, which is insufficient and uncontrollable.
Another common mounting arrangement includes a mounting bar or plate rotatably mounted between two leg units. Usually, a first pair of leg support units are mounted to the frame structure and a second pair of leg support units are mounted to the first pair of leg support units through a mounting bar in a foldable manner. Accordingly, the second pair of leg support units are relatively detached from the frame structure for supporting purpose and additional support frame structure such as supporting bar or side bar has to be included. The leg support units themselves cannot be used to provide sufficient support to the furniture while specific and dedicate frame construction is required to provide support for the furniture. In other words, this kind of mounting method for foldable furniture is not only weak but also complicate and costly.